“Do me a favor? Tell Hum Judy I found my thrive. She’ll understand.”
Blue’s frown deepens, but she doesn’t question me. “Okay.”
I give her and Harvey a little wave, and then I watch them walk away, Harvey tugging Blue close as he wraps an arm around her shoulders.
I head back into Warren’s room, and I can feel time running out, but I don’t want to do this next part. I don’t want to say goodbye.
The nurse comes in to check on Warren, and I quickly wipe my cheeks and attempt to give her a smile.
She takes one look at me and walks over to give me a hug. “It looked like you needed that,” she says as she pulls away.
I sniff. “I did.”
I wait quietly as she writes on his chart, and then I clear my throat. “Is he…in any pain?”
The nurse shakes her head. “No, honey. We’re keeping him comfortable now. It won’t be long.”
Misery knots in my stomach. “Thank you. For the hug.”
She gives me a look of understanding before slipping back out the door, and I know I can’t wait any longer.
I clear my throat and look around the room. “Sev?” I say hesitantly into the air.
I’m worried when nothing happens right away, but then a puff of pink smoke pops up in front of me, and Sev appears.
Dressed in his usual rocker attire, he lands with his hands in his pockets and his wings tucked against his back. He looks around the room with surprise before his eyes land on me. “A bit dreary of an ambience, isn’t it, luv?”
I puff out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, you could say that.”
Sev pulls up one of the chairs and plops down in it. “I’m surprised that you called me so soon.”
“Yeah, well…things didn’t turn out the way I hoped.”
His eyes flicker over to Warren. “I see.”
“Can you pull me back into the Veil?” I ask. My throat constricts, trying to cut off the words—my body’s way of rebelling.
Sev tilts his head and looks off to the side like he’s sensing something. “You got a bit behind again, Triple X,” he says. “You need a big push of power before I can take you back.”
I was expecting that, so I just nod. “I can do it,” I assure him. “I just need a few minutes. To say goodbye.”
Sev doesn’t ask me what happened or what’s wrong or any of the other endless questions I’m sure are spinning through his head. Instead, he gives me the answer that I need. “All right, luv. Do your thing, then use a shiteload of your cupidity powers, and I’ll bring you back, get it?”
I nod. “Thanks, Sev,” I say.
He disappears as quickly as he came, and then I turn to Warren.
Every step I take towards him wars with my soul. Because I don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t want this to be it. And yet, I truly believe that everything that’s happened in my afterlife has led me to this moment.
This af
terlife? It was never about me.
It was always about him.
I settle myself on the bed, but this time, I lie down next to him.
I’m careful not to jostle his IV or any of the cords attached to him as I gently curl my body around his and thread our fingers together.